A Savior is Born

Written By Cunha Enterprises

This is the time of year when many people around the world are remembering and celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. There are plays being performed, Advent calendars and devotionals being followed, nativity scenes being built in homes and churches, and families coming together to share and teach their children about Jesus Christ. And to this I say, “Praise the Lord!”

While I do not personally observe Advent or celebrate the tradition of Christmas, I believe it is always good for us to remember, celebrate, and share about our Savior, Jesus Christ. After all, it is because of His birth, life, death, and resurrection that we have access to God the Father and the promise of eternal life. The redemption plan for all mankind was fulfilled through Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross: “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” Glory, halleluyah!

Today’s blog is a remembrance and celebration of the greatest gift ever given to mankind. Through Jesus Christ is redemption of sin, reconciliation to God, and the promise of eternal life. In John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Note: The Birth of Jesus outlined below was taken from the New Living Translation (NLT) version of the Bible and includes my personal reflections to the scriptures.

The Birth of Jesus

The story of Jesus’ birth begins in Luke. Luke was not one of the twelve disciples of Jesus nor an eyewitness of Jesus’ life and ministry. Rather, Luke was a Gentile physician and companion of the apostle Paul. Luke took it upon himself to gather and carefully investigate eyewitness accounts of Jesus’s life, beginning with His birth. Luke put these historical accounts into a letter written to reinforce the faith of Theophilus, likely a high-ranking Roman official or influential Jewish leader. Luke’s writings have become what we know today as the book (or gospel) of Luke in the Bible. 

We begin in Luke 1:5-25, the prophecy of the birth of Jesus’ cousin who would become John the Baptist:

“When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old. 

One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying. 

While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.” 

Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.” 

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long. When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary. When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.””

Reflection: Wow! What a miraculous encounter and event in the lives of Zechariah and Elizabeth. By their account, I am reminded that the Lord hears our prayers and will bring them to pass according to His perfect will and His perfect time. The Lord is good and faithful to do what He says He will do. 

We continue the story in Luke 1:26-38, where Mary receives the prophecy of the birth of Jesus:

“In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” 

Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” 

Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. For the word of God will never fail.” Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.”

Reflection: Glory to God, hallelujah!! There is nothing impossible to God. We can trust Him in the unknown and with the things we cannot comprehend. May we all respond to God with the faith and obedience of Mary. My personal response to God: “Lord, I am your servant. I will obey what you have commanded. I believe that you are God and that you are good. May your will be done.”

Let’s keep going…Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth in Luke 1:39-56:

“A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 

Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” 

Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful. For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.” 

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.”

Reflection: REJOICE!! For the Lord is good and faithful. God has kept His Word spoken from the beginning. This is not a fairytale. This is history. This is a historical account of what has already taken place. What Elizabeth and Mary are anticipating has already been fulfilled. Glory to God, hallelujah!!

John the Baptist born, Luke 1:57-80:

“When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son. And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her. 

When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!” 

“What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him. He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.” Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God.

Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way. 

Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant— the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live. 

“And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” 

John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.”

Reflection: Prophecy fulfilled!! Not only by the birth of John the Baptist, but by the conception of Jesus Christ. Both Mary and Zechariah rejoice by reciting praises and the covenant (promise) God made to their ancestors. You can read more about God’s covenant to Abraham, as well as the prophecies about John the Baptist and Jesus in the following verses of scripture:

  • God’s covenant

    • Genesis 12:1-3; 17:1-7; 22:15-18

    • Isaiah 41:8-10

  • John the Baptist

    • Isaiah 40:3

    • Malachi 3:1; 4:5-6

  • Jesus

    • Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7; 11:1-5

    • Isaiah 53

    • Jeremiah 23:5-8

    • Micah 5:2

We pick up the story of Jesus’s birth in Matthew. Matthew was a tax collector before being called by Jesus to become His disciple. He wrote, what we now know as the book or gospel of Matthew in the Bible. Matthew was writing to Jews from Galilee, a religious group of people, familiar with the laws and prophets (prophecies) of God. His letter is meant to prove that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah, Anointed One) sent by God for salvation, the One they have been waiting for.

Joseph to whom Mary was engaged, receives a message about Mary and Jesus in a dream, Matthew 1:18-25:

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. 

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 

All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” 

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.'

Reflection: Praise God for the obedience and faithfulness of Jospeh to obey what the Lord had commanded! Some say, what’s in a name? Well, when it comes to Jesus, everything! Jesus or Yehoshua in Hebrew means salvation (YHVH saves, YHVH is salvation). His name is both the essence of who He is and what He came to do. Let us join the song of David in Psalm 18:1-3, “I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.”

Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem and Jesus is born, Luke 2:1-7:

'At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child. 

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. '

An angel appeared to shepherds about the birth of Jesus, Luke 2:8-20:

'That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” '

'Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” '

'When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” '

'They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them. '

Reflection: HALLELUJAH!! Our Savior is born. He is IMMANUEL (God with us). Let all the earth REJOICE. Let us join the choir of the hosts of heaven singing, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

Eight days later, Jesus is presented in the temple, Luke 2:21:

'Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived. '

On the 40th day, according to the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary go to the temple to offer a sacrifice and dedicate Jesus, their first born son to the Lord, Luke 2:22-38:

'Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord .” So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” 

The Prophecy of Simeon

At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, 

“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” 

Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” 

The Prophecy of Anna

Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem. '

Reflection: Jesus as the Christ (Messiah, Anointed One) is confirmed time and time again by prophecy, revealed to man by signs, dreams, encounters with angels, and the Holy Spirit. In Matthew, we will see yet another confirmation of Jesus’s divinity and reign as king by the wise men.

The wise men come inquiring about the newborn king of the Jews to King Herod, Matthew 2:1-12:

'Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” '

'King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?” '

'“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote: ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’ ” '

'Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!” '

'After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. '

'When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod. '

Joseph is warned in a dream to flee to Egypt, Matthew 2:13-15:

'After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” '

'That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.” '

Herod’s fury and attempt to kill Jesus, Matthew 2:16-18:

'Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: “A cry was heard in Ramah— weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are dead.” '

Reflection: It hurts my heart to read about the innocent children who suffered under the wrath of Herod. But God protected Jesus, the One whom He sent to be the Savior of the whole world. John 3:16-17:

'For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.'

God had a plan. He already prepared the way of salvation and the deaths of these children were not in vain nor was the weeping and great mourning of their families. For God said through the prophet Isaiah:

'“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord , And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord , that He may be glorified.”'

God’s plan will be fulfilled! When Jesus Christ returns, He will reign on the earth for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4-6). At the end of His millennial reign, the devil and his deception will be removed forever (Revelation 20:7-10). God will judge the living and the dead (Revelation 20:11-15), and He will make all things new, Revelation 21:1-5:

'Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”'

Joseph, Mary, and Jesus return home in Matthew 2:21-23 and Luke 2:39-40:

'When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. “Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.” '

'So Joseph got up and returned to the land of Israel with Jesus and his mother. But when he learned that the new ruler of Judea was Herod’s son Archelaus, he was afraid to go there. Then, after being warned in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee. So the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: “He will be called a Nazarene.”'

Luke 2:39-40 - ‘When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him. '

CONCLUSION

This is where the story of Jesus’s birth ends, but it is only the beginning of Jesus’s life in scripture. Scripture not only provides evidence of Jesus’s birth, but also his life. Jesus was conceived miraculously and was born, He lived a sinless life, performed many miracles, preached the gospel, and was crucified for the sins of the world. And, guess what? He rose again. Yes, HE IS RISEN! He has been exalted and is seated at the right hand of the Father interceding for you and me (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25). He came so that you may have life, and life more abundantly (John 10:10). We are saved by grace through faith, it is the fee gift of salvation to all who believe (Ephesians 2:8-10, Romans 6:23). The Spirit of God says, “Come.” Come now as you are to God, surrender your life to Him and be made new. Be made whole and receive the hope of salvation found in Jesus Christ alone. 

For all those reading this blog, I pray God’s favor and blessing over you: May God bless you and keep you. May He strengthen, guide, and protect you. May the promises of God bring you hope and increase your faith. May the love, joy, and peace of God rule in your hearts always. And if you do not know God for yourself, I pray that He would be revealed to you in your heart, that you would be assured and fully convinced of the salvation through Jesus Christ. May you answer the invitation of God to abide in Him and Him in you. In Jesus name, Amen.

To God be all glory, honor, and praise forever and ever. Amen.

Cunha Enterprises http://www.cunhaenterprises.com/